VICTORIA — Former British Columbia attorney general Wally Oppal is defending the Speaker of the legislature, saying Darryl Plecas was acting on advice when two top officials were placed on administrative leave amid an RCMP investigation.
Oppal made the comments after meeting with Plecas and his special adviser Alan Mullen at the legislature today.
The Speaker announced Thursday that Oppal was appointed as a second adviser in the situation at the legislature that saw sergeant-at-arms Gary Lenz and clerk of the house Craig James escorted from the building on Tuesday.
Oppal says he can't comment on the specifics of the investigation, which has seen the appointment of two special prosecutors and the RCMP issue at statement confirming its investigation pertaining to administrative duties.
He says there is an ongoing criminal investigation underway and it will take a considerable length of time to be resolved.
Attention has focused on the Speaker's actions in bringing the investigation forward and the hiring Mullen, but Oppal says those are secondary details to the investigation.
